Winch mechanism for raising and lowering life-boats.



E. L. Ni. SIVAHD. WINCH wlEcl-mmsm ron msm@ AND Low/Emma UFE BOATS.APPLICA'ON FILED MAR. l5 i915. ypg D Mtentel Jan. 15, P318.

2 SHEETS-SHEET ll E. L. IVI. SIVARD.

WINCH MECHANISIVI FOR RAISING AIIID LOWERING LIFE BOATS. APPLICATIONFILED MAR. 15| 1915. L, mem@ m. I5, m8.

2 SHEETS-SHELL 2.

EINAR L. M. SVARD, OF AMITYVLLE, NEW 'tl WINCH MECHANSM FOE-/ RAISINGAND LUWERNG LIFE-BOATS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application :tiled March l5, 1915.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EINAR L. M. SWARD, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Amityville, in the county of Queens and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in WinchMechanism for Raising and Lowering Life- Boats, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in winch mechanism for raisingand lowering lifeboats.

By the use of my invention I am enabled quickly and with great facility,and without affecting the operative readiness or preparedness either ofthe lowering means or the manually-operable hoisting1 means, t0 hitch upto and make use of a steam winch or other rope-reeling power-drivendevice to hoist a lifeboat and furthermore am enabled, either inlowering or in raising a lifeboat, readily and quickly and at anydesired point during the hoisting or lowering operation, to brake andretain stationary either one of the falls which are secured at oppositeends of the lifeboat, thus permitting the adjustment of the length ofthe falls secured to either end of the lifeboat, and enabling suchlifeboat to be hoisted or lowered, or deposited either at the checks orin the water on an even keel or in a true horizontal position.

I will now describe my preferred embodiment of the invention and thenpoint out the novel features in claims.

ln the accompanying drawings in which similar reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention;

F ig. 2 is a top or plan view of the device illustrated in F ig. l, thelower portion of the mechanism being omitted for the purpose ofclearness;

F ig. 3 is a sectional View of the brake drum and pawl mechanismtherefor taken on the line A--A of Fig. 2; and

Fig. fl is a section on the line B-B of Fig. -1.

Referring now to these drawings, which illustrate al preferredembodiment of my invention, 1 indicates a drum-shaft suitably mounted ina supporting frame 12 which may be secured to' the ,deck of a vessel inany suitable manner, are drums .in-`

"fatented allan.. l5, littlt.,

Serial No. 14,532.

dependentlv mounted on said shaft to rotate freely thereon and carryropes 26--262L wound on said drums in the same direction and Vadapted tobe secured to the opposite ends of a lifeboat and to coperate withdavits or like devices in the raising and lowering thereof. 3-3aindicate spur gears which are respectively xed in relation to the drums:9J-2a and may respectively, if desired, be formed integrally with saiddrums.

T he 4spur gears SL45 respectively mesh with pinions ibn, loose on theshaft 5, and mounted independent of each other. These pinions il-ilnrespectively have fixed in relation thereto or integrally cast therewithspur gears G-Gt and ratchet wheels 7--7a. A brake drum 8 also loose onthe shaft 5 has an independent connection with each of theratchet-wheels preferably by means of pawls 9h92* pivoted on oppositesides of the brake-drum and engaging indeiendently with the respectiveratchet wheels rmi, said pawls being normally retained in engagementwith the teeth of the ratchet wheels 7-7a by flat springs Yl0 or othersuitable devices.

From the above it will be apparent that l: provide two independentlymounted rope drums each of which is operatively and independentlyconnected b v means of separate pawls and ratchet wheels with a commonbrake-drum 8 and this brake-drum may by any suitable mechanism be socontrolled as to retain both the rope-drums in normally locked crstationary position. As shown, l provide for this purpose, a brake bandlll operatively connected to an actuating lever 15 which normallyretains the brake band frictionally locked and in stationary position bymeans of a helical spring 1G connected to the lever at one end and tothe frame 12 at the other end, a turn-buckle 1Ga preferably beinginserted to regulate the tension of the spring 16. Obviously a liftingof lever 15 against the restraining action of the spring 16 or othersuitable device will disengage the brake band from the brake drum andpermit the same to rotate for the purpose of unreeling the ropes :2G-26ato lower a lifeboat or the like, and furthermore the releasing by thehand of the operator of the lever 15 will cause the immediateapplication of the brake to stop the unreeling and consequent loweringof the boat.

it is, however, frequently necessary or desrable t0 adjust the length ofthe falls one end or Vthe other of the boat, as for example when theship is down by the head or the stern and it is desired to deposit theboat in the water on an even or level keel, or when under certain otherconditions, it is desired to deposit the boat with the bow higher thanthe stern. F or this purpose, I provide a separate stop independent ofthe braking mechanism for each of the rope drums, so that either one ofthe said drums may, without affecting the action of the other, be lockedagainst rotation. To accomplish this end, and to permit the drums toremain under the control of a common instantly-applicable brake drum, Iprovide means whereby the movements in one direction of the ratchetwheels 7 7 and connected mechanisms, which include the rope drums, arerespectively independently or separately controlled by pawls 11-111which are formed on the ends of levers 13-13 and which, as shown, arepivoted respectively at 11b and 11c to extensions 11d-11e respectivelyof the supporting frame 12. The respective levers 13--13a are providedwith suitable operating handles and are normally retained in inoperativeposition or out of engagement with the respective ratchet-wheels 7-722It is obvious that either one or the other of said pawls may be readilyand quickly thrown into or out of engagement with its respective ratchetwheel for the purpose of stopping or locking independently of the brakedrum the ratchet wheel and connected mechanisms which it is adapted toengage.

In order to provide my improved winch mechanism with means for readilyand quickly bitching up the rope drums Vto a steam or electric winchwithout in any way affecting the preparedness or readiness of thelowering means or hand-operating devices and also to permit adjustmentof the falls during hoisting, I provide what I shall term a driving drum19 also loose on the shaft 1, preferably mounted outside the frame 12carrying a rope 27 normally retained in reelcd up posltion on the drumand preferably terminating in an eye 28 which may be fastened to thedrum in Vany suitable manner as by lashing to a cleat. Said drum 19 isoperatively connected or geared with the rope drums 2-2-. Preferablysaid drum 19 has fixed in relation thereto or cast integrally therewitha. spur gear E20 which meshes with a pinion 21 which may be fast on theshaft 22, and if desired may be keyed thereto tohave sliding sidewisemovement in order to permit the throwing of the same into and out ofmesh with the gear 20. Also keyed to the shaft 22 and movable or slidingsidewise thereon are pinions 23-23 which respectively are adapted to bethrown into and out of mesh with the respective drum gears 3-3a by meansof coupling levers 24--21-a, pivoted on the frame intermediate theirends as at 24h- 24% and having handles 21e-2LP at one of their ends andtheir other ends pivoted as at 24g 24J* to coupling boxes SO-SO formedintegrallywith the respective pinions 2323 It will be seen, therefore,that I have provided means for permitting the driving of both rope drumsQMQ simultaneously through the driving drum 19 and'for disengagingeither one of said drums which when so disengaged will be controlled byand held stationary by the brake drum and that in this way the falls onsaid drums may be adjusted during hoisting. Y

The opposite ends of the shaft are also preferably fitted. with handles.Q5-25 to permit quick manual rotation of the drums for the purpose ofrecovering the falls in case power is not available and it is desired toemploy the same for lowering a second boat. Gf course one or both of theactuating handles 25-25a may be employed to reel up the rope 27 on drum19 after a boat has been hoisted thereby to place the device inreadiness for the hoisting` of anotherboat.

F or this purpose the coupling levers may be moved to disengage thepinionsQS-ZBa from the spur gears 3-3 so as not to affect the rope-drums2--2f In the arrai'igement here shown it is de sirable that the pinions23-23@ should be disengaged from the gears 3MB respectively to permitindependent locking by the pawls 11--113t of the rope drums 2 2respectively and I thereforel preferably pron vide an interlockingengagement between the levers 13-131of the pawls 11-11a on the one handand the coupling levers 9A-21a of the pinions on the other hand, wherebythe actuation of the respective pawlV levers to their stopping positionswill in the respective movements of such levers engage and preferablyshift or throw out automatically lthe pinion actuated by the couplinglever so engage-d. cure such interlocking engagement by providing on thepinion coupling levers Qsl-QlaV projections 29-29" which respectivelyproject into the path of movement of the levers 13--13a so that when`either lever is moved into operative pcsitionit will first engage theprojectionlon the coupling le ver and move. the pinion out of engagement with the spur gear with which it is meshed. For example, if thehandle of the lever 13a be engaged and moved upwardly it will firststrike the projection 29l and cause the coupling lever 24R to move thepinion 23 out of engagement with the spur gear 3a.

Inorder to hoist the lifeboats by hand, I provide pinions 16--16 fixedon short shafts 17-17i` mounted in the Vframe 12 and extending withontthe same, which shafts are respectively ,fitted with handles 1&-182

I preferably proM tassen i described.

T he operation of the device is as follows:

To hoist the boat cranks 18-18l may be manipulated if desired, but witha large lifeboat this is an extremely slow process and under manyconditions, such as during rescue Work at sea, is so slow that it mayendanger life. Power for hoisting is, therefore, desirable. Owing to thecost and to some extent the added Weight of special electric motors andlike devices for supplying power, it is desirable to employ for hoistingpurposes the usual Winches, such as the cargo Winches, at present onboard a ship, and I therefore preferably hitch up my driving drum to anysuch winch by .carrying the rope 27 therefrom over snitablesnatclrbloclrs and fair-leads to such a steam or electric Winch, the eye28 of said rope 27 being used for the purpose of attaching the same to asuitable rope adapted to be actuated. hy the Winch. Obviously When theWinch is operate-d the rope 27 will be unreeled from the drum 19, theboat falls Will be reeled up on the drums Z--Qfn and the boat will behoisted.

Furthermore, the brake drum 8 will be in its normally locked orfrictionally-gripping position during the hoisting of the boat so as toinsure perfect safety daring this operation. In vievv of this normallylocked condition of the brake drum it will be seen that either of thetwo rope drums may be safely disengaged from the action of the drivingdrum by actuation of either of the coupling levers 24e-24 and so soon asdisengaged will remain stationary, thus permitting any adjustment tocompensate for stretching of the falls, uneven ceiling of the rope orthe like.

l/Vhen it is desired to lower a boat the coupling` levers should heshifted to disen gage the pinions 23-23a and the brake lever l5 raisedwhereupon both falls. which as above stated are positively controlled bythe same brake drum, will be paid out at the same rate of speed. Inorder to stop the paying out of rope from both drums the brake lever issimply released bv the operator whereupon the spring will cause thebrake to become operative and the drums will be automatically stopped.It is freauently, however, necessary or advisable toY pay out more ropeon one drum than on the other in order to adjust the falls and in suchevent, for example, the lever 13 may be actu ated to engage the paivl 1lto the ratchet Wheel 7, in Which case the motion of the drum 2 Will bestopped While the drum 2a will continue to pay out the opposite fall.When the lifeboat has reached the desired position the lever 13 may bemoved back to disengage the paivl ll and both falls will bo again paidout at the same rate of speed. Ubviously the paivl lla' will stop thedrum 2, if desired, upon similar actuation. .ln case, however, theoperator neglects to shift the coupling levers before starting to lower,the lowering operation may be continued Without interference until itdesired to adjust by the actuation of the stopping pavvl levers. Suchactuation will, because of the interengagement of these levers with thecoupling levers, automatically shift the latter to permit adjustment. ltwill, of course, be understood that the only effect of a fail.- ure todisengage one or the .other of the coupling levers will be to couple therope drums together and thus prevent independent adjustment, the drums,however, always remaining under the control of the bralredrum.

Assuming that it is desired to handle more than one lifeboat by a singleset of davits, it may be necessary to recover the tackles quickly afterlaunching the first boat and as power may not be available in case ofaccident provision must be made for doing this worlr by hand, and forthis purpose I provide on the opposite ends of shaft 22 handles Q-Qa.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. l/Vinch mechanism for raising and lowering lifeboats embodyingtherein tivo rope drums, ropes on said drums adapted to be connected atopposite ends of the lifeboat, a common braking mechanism for both'drums and means for independently eng-ag mg each rope drum to stoppaying out of rope therefrom.

2. idf-inch mechanism for raising and j lowering lifeboats embodyingtherein two rope drums, a brake drum operatively con nected with andcontrolling said rope drums, controlling means for locking the brakedrum against movement and permitting releasing thereof to permit thesimultaneous unreeling of rope from both drums and means for lockingeither one of said drums against rotation independently of the other.

3. llllinch mechanism for raising and lowering lifeboats embodyingtherein tivo rope drums, a brake drum operatively connected with andcontrolling` said rope drums, controlling means for locking the brakedrum against movement and permitting ree leasing thereof to permit thesimultaneous unreeling of rope `from both drums, means for lockingeither one of said drums against rotation independently of the other.means for driving the rope drums to hoist the lifeboat and means forengaging or disengaging one of said drums with the driving means.

4. `Winch mechanism for raising and lowering lifeboats comprising tivorope drums, ropes on said drums adapted to be Cil connected at oppositeends of the liieboat, a common brake drum for said two rope drums, meansembodying separate ratchet wheels and pawls normally retained inengagement therewith for operatively and independently' connecting saidrope drums with said brake drum, means for releasing the brake drum topermit simultaneous unreeling of rope on both drums and a pair ofindependently operable pawls normally retained in inoperative positionsand adapted respectively to be moved to engage said ratchet wheelsrespectively to permit independent stopping of either one of the ropedrums during lowering oi.' the boat.

5. Winch mechanism for raising and lowering lifeboats comprising tworope drums, ropes on said drums adapted to be connected at opposite endsof the lifeboat, a common brake drum for said two rope drums, meansembodying separate ratchet wheels and pawls normally retained inengagement therewith for operatively and independently connecting saidrope drums with said brake drum, means -for releasing the brake drum topermit simultaneous unreeling of rope on both drums, levers pivoted tothe frame and a pair of independently operable pawls mounted on the endsoi said levers, said pawls being normally retained in disengagedpositions and operating handles for swinging the respective pawls intoengagement with the respective ratchet wheels to independently lockeither one of the rope drums against movement, whereby the length of thefalls at either end of a lifeboat may be adjusted during the lowering ofthe boat.

G. Winch mechanism embodying therein two rope drums, a separate rope oneach ofV said rope drums, said ropes being wound up in a connnondirection and adapted to be attached to opposite ends oit a lifeboat, adriving drum having a rope thereon wound up in a direction opposite tothe ropes on said two drums, the said driving-drum rope being normallyretained on said drum in wound up position, whereby the unreeling of thenormally wound up rope on the driving drum will cause the reeling up of'the rope on the two rope drums first mentioned, a common brakingmechanism 'for both drums and means for causing one of said drums to be1driven or braked independently of the ot ier.

7. -Winch mechanism embodying therein two rope drums mountedindependently of each other, ropes thereon wound up in a commondirection and adapted to be attached to opposite ends of a lifeboat,braking means for both drums, a driving drum operatively connected withsaid rope drums and having rope thereon wound up in a direction oppositeto the said twodrums, the said rope being normally retained on said drumin wound up position, whereby the un reeling ot' the normally wound uprope on the driving drum will cause the reeling up of the rope on thetwo drums first mentioned and means for independently engaging anddisengaging either one of said two rope drums with the driving drum toadjust theV falls at. either end of the boat during hoisting. Y

8. Winch vmechanism for raising and lowering liteboats embodyingthereintwo rope drums, ropes on said drums adapted to be connected atopposite ends of a lifeboat, a common braking mechanism for controllingboth drums sinniltaneously, an independent lowering stop for each drum,levers for moving each stop into and out of operative position, drivingmeans for said rope drums, independent coupling levers for engaging anddisengaging the driving means tothe respective rope drums andinterengaging means between vthe stop controlling levers and thecoupling levers.

9. finch mechanism for raising and loweing lifeboats embodying thereinVtwo rope drums, ropes on said drums adapted to be connected at oppositeends of a lifeboat, a common braking mechanism for controlling bothdrums simultaneously, an independent lowering stop for each drum, leversfor moving each stop into and out oi' operative position, driving meansfor said rope drums, independent coupling levers for engaging anddisengaging the driving means to the respective rope drums and aprojection on Y said coupling levers projecting into the path Yot'movement of the stop levers.

In witness whereof, l havesigned my name to the foregoing specificationin the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EINAR L. M. SIVARD Witnesses: Y.

HELEN V. HOLMES, FREDERICK P. RANDOLPH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

